Closed Door Rapport

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"Please, I know you're in there People are asking where you've been They say, "have courage" and I'm trying to I'm right out here for you Just let me in We only have each other It's just you and me What are we gonna do?"

In fiction one great way to up either the drama or comedy of a conversation is to have it occur through a door. One party shuts the other out in attempt to avoid the confrontation while the other desperately tries to communicate in spite of the obstructive barrier.

This setup is useful in providing physical distance between characters to mirror psychological separation, and for its flexibility in resolution. This distance may just as easily be broken down by the opening of the door as suspended indefinitely by the character choosing not to emerge. Usually the character behind the door is the more emotionally closeted of the pair while the character on the outside is more honest and straightforward, having to persuade the other that opening the door is not a bad thing.

Most commonly portrayed with romantic relationships and between parents and children who don't see eye-to-eye. Occasionally accompanied by the stock phrase "let me in," providing a deliberate ambiguity between "let me into the room" and "take me into your confidence."

Examples:

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Anime and Manga

In The Weatherman Is My Lover Koganei goes to Amasawa's apartment when he skips out from work and they have a heart-to-heart on opposite sides of door, culminating with Koganei's request, "Won't you let me in? Let me into your heart, Amasawa." Amasawa decides to take his chance.

In Junjou Romantica when Nowaki confronts Hiroki about their breakup at Hiroki's workplace, Hiroki runs back to his office and locks Nowaki out causing a bit of a scene. He is not persuaded to open the door.

Episode 3 of Suite Pretty Cure ♪ used this for one of the show's most emotional scenes (so far). The lock broke just before Kanade came to confront Hibiki face-to-face and would have done so otherwise.

In Kimi ni Todoke Sawako and Kazehaya finally clear things up during the School Festival with a conversation behind the classroom's door.

The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye: After Rewind is badly injured in a fight, Chromedome slumps against the door of their quarters, when an unknown speaker comes to talk to him, saying that if Chromedome doesn't want anyone to end up like Rewind, then they've got a job for him... Chromedome's response isn't shown, but later issues confirm he definitely took the offer up.

Fan Works

In A Robust Solution, at first Fluttershy won't let Rarity into her cottage after Fluttershy's Freak Out!, and Rarity has to talk to her through a closed, locked and barred door.

In A Muggle Gap Year Bill Weasley spends an hour trying to comfort George through a closed door after their brother Fred's funeral.

In Lily's Secret Harry freaks out and hides in a closet after forgetting to keep his glamor spell active and Draco Malfoy tries to coax him out.

Films — Animated

In Beauty and the Beast, Belle and the Beast have an angry discussion through her door when she refuses to come to dinner.

"Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" from Frozen, as seen in the Page Quote. Anna repeatedly goes to her sister Elsa's door and asks her to play with her. In turn, Elsa, who is terrified of hurting Anna with her powers, repeatedly shuts her out. The song eventually culminates in the deaths of their parents, and even then Elsa is too afraid to let Anna in.

Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas: In "Mickey's Dog-Gone Christmas", Pluto wrecks Mickey's holiday decorations and is sent to his doghouse. A little later, Mickey, feeling guilty for yelling at him, walks over to the doghouse and tries to clear the air between them. When he gets no response, Mickey looks inside to find that Pluto has discarded his collar and ran away from home.

Films — Live-Action

In Love Actually Liam Neeson's character often talks to his step-son through the door, as Sam hardly leaves his room after the death of his mother. Sam mainly responds by leaving notes on the door itself.

The Negotiator milks this for all it's worth—both Danny Roman and Chris Sabian are introduced doing this. Roman is talking with a gunman. Sabian is talking with his wife.

Across the Universe had this for one of their musical numbers. Prudence, who had a crush on Sadie, locks herself in a closet after she realizes that Sadie and Jojo are now a couple. So the gang (minus Sadie and Jojo, incidentally, who have a thing they have to get to) sing "Dear Prudence" to convince her to come out of the closet, get out of her funk, and see the world for how wonderful it is.

In Death at a Funeral, Simon locks himself in the bathroom after realizing he's accidentally ingested a powerful hallucinogen. His girlfriend Martha spends the next half-hour trying to get him to come out. When he does come out, it's not through the door. It's through the window onto the roof. And he's naked.

Literature

Invoked by Jesus in the Book of Revelation: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20, NIV).

After Betsy the Vampire Queen, possessed by the Book of the Dead, attacks Jessica and nearly kills her, Jessica locks herself in her room. Betsy (full of remorse) leaves her a baby monitor and communicates with her via it for most of the book. Jessica doesn't respond.

In Men at Arms, Angua, shocked her secret is out, has two in quick succession, one from the canine point of view with Gaspode The Wonder Dog, and a later one with Carrot, who puts the human argument about her werewolf status.

Live-Action TV

In the episode "Dinner at Eight-ish" on Cheers, Lilith, Frasier, and Diane each retreat into the bathroom after different arguments over their relationships. Discussions continue through the door for the rest of the episode.

Doctor Who: This happens between the Tenth Doctor and Jack Harkness, and it's lampshaded in a commentary that the two of them can only be open and honest with each other when one of them is trapped in a room full of deadly radiation and there is a giant, closed door between them.

A truly heart-breaking example in "The Girl Who Waited", when older Amy sits outside the TARDIS door, telling her younger self to have the life with Rory she could not have with him.

Inverted in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "Repairs". Hannah is haunted by a malicious entity, which she believes is God's punishment for her sins. The agents confine her in the Cage, which is shielded in such a way that the entity cannot reach her. Sitting against the door, Hannah begs them to let her out before the entity hurts someone, and Skye, on the outside, talks her out of it.

The fourth season premiere of Once Upon a Time has a scene where Emma tries to reach out to Regina through a closed door. Regina is sitting slumped against the door, refusing to answer Emma's pleas as she blames her for robbing her of her happy ending with Robin Hood by bringing Marian back to life. Not coincidentally, this is the same episode that introduced Elsa and Anna to the series.

Music

The J-pop song "Laugh Maker" by Bump of Chicken is about the titular character trying to convince someone who's been crying alone to let him in so he can cheer them up. The person eventually gives in, but discovers that the door is stuck and Laugh Maker has seemingly abandoned them. Just as they start to give in to despair, Laugh Maker breaks in through the window.

The Touhou-based spinoff "Locked Girl" features Marisa repeatedly urging Patchouli to open the library door and come with her. Patchy's a bit too reluctant to try, so Marisa eventually resorts to using the Master Spark to blow the door to pieces so she can finally get through.

Done in Silent Hill 2's "Born from a Wish" scenario, where Maria only converses with the side-story's sole NPC through a closed door. Given the game, it should be no surprise when the camera reveals that the room beyond is empty.

In The Meek, Phe locks her husband Luca out of their bedroom after a heated argument got out of hand and gives him an ultimatum; he can have his revenge, or her, but not both. It's not until Luca apologises does Phe open the door and drag him inside for make-up sex.

In Homestuck, Rose Lalonde destroys the gates that lead to her land (Land of Light and Rain) so that people have extreme difficulty navigating the gates that lead to her. This ends up isolating Rose, bringing her closer to the dark influences of the Horrorterrors since the others can only communicate through Pesterchum.

Western Animation

In Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, the HBO Storybook Musical version of The House on East 88th Street, Lyle locks himself in the closet when his old owner arrives to take him away from his new family, and Joshua sings to him through the door.

When SpongeBob SquarePants takes Pearl to her prom, she gets humiliated by his behavior, declaring the night ruined - and he breaks down crying and shutting himself in the girls' room. Pearl tries to console him through the door, and he replies in incoherent hysterical sobs.

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